Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-10-27
ITALY'S GAME OF GRAB.
A Big Slice Of Territory on the Red
Sea LittoraI to be Seized and Col
Onized.
England. Austria, and Germany COun
tenancing the Project and Multi
plying Frances Hostility.

LONDON, Oct. 22.-For the last two
| years it has seemed as though the doubt
full advantage of maintaining a foothold
on the Red sea littoral was hardly worth
the tremendous efforts and large expen-
diture of money and men which Italy vas
making to that end, and the withdrawal
Of the Italian troops from Massowah as
I soon as they could have been gotten ont
of that place with safety would have sur
prised nobody. Itappears now, however,
that the steadfast attempts of the Italian
government to establish itself in posses
sion of certain territory within and ad-
| jacent to the domains of King John OF
Abyssinia are likely to be successful, and
| in the settlement of the matter, or rather
in the causes which will lead to the settle
ment, the hand of England is seen, as
we'll as the influence of Austria and Ger
many. To any power undertaking incur
sions into Abyssiannian territory and
not strong enough to crush that monarch
iu ais stronghold the influence of England
is an absolute necessity, King John being
virtually a protege of England; and by
reason of his English tastes. retains de-
gree of friendliness toward Great Britain
that enables England to obtain from him
any reasonable concessions not contempt
plating the curtailment of his power
While Italy's position regarding Bulgaria
was in doubt, Gen. SatiGta was compelled
to remain cooped up in Massowah and
periodically defend himself against the
savages surrounding him without sus-
picion of assistance from any power other
than that possessed by the comparatively
few able bodied men under his command
Disease attacked his ranks on one side
and Rao Aloula, King Johns able general
harassed him on the other until his effect
tive force became almost too small to
hold his position, and capitalization seem
ed almost certain.
Then came the announcement that
Italy had renewed her alliance with Ger
maryland Austria for five years, bearing
with it the assurance that the italian
government would at the proper time sup
port the claims of the AustrO-H Hungarian
Prince Ferdinand, Queen Victoria's
favorite, to the throne of Bulgaria, and
the scene changed. The Vaccinations of
France against Italy's occupation of
Massowah ceased-or if they did not
cease were directed through channels not
apparent to the observers of her former
methods of antagonism, and the announce
meat came in due time that one of the
most powerful tribes opposing Gen. Sa-
tilla had voluntarily agreed to become
friendly to Italy and allow her to peace
fully pursue her work of colonization on
the shore of the Red sea. There was no
apparent reason why this chief would
have made SO complete a surrender, for
he was really stronger than the fragment
of an italian army remaining at Masso-
wah, and the cause of his action must GER
tainly be due to the influence mentioned,
with King John as the medium through
which the settlement was accom- plished.
The withdrawal of the opposition OF
the beleaguering forces Of Massowah,
Will doubtless be followed immediately
by the arrival at that place of an italian
army of Sufficient strength to put further
trouble with native tribes out of the
question.